


Flash forward to a family

by 10k_au



Category: Z Nation (TV)
Genre: F/M, Flash Forward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 16:09:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8496658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/10k_au/pseuds/10k_au
Summary: 10k and reader are at a house with a group, she has a few flash forwards to what their life would be like if it wasn't for the apocalypse.





	

The house is the first clean place that you’ve seen in months. You look around the large cast open kitchen-diner and living area. There would be enough room here to sleep most of the group, you’ve found that it’s best to stick together during the night. Addy slides you a mug of water across the countertop towards you.

“Here” She says, “Drink, you need to get your strength up”

You take the mug in both hands tightly and lean back against the cabinets, watching the rest of the group settling in. Warren is sharpening her knife over on one of the couches, Garnett is by the doorway, staring at the electrified fence that will hopefully keep us safe for a couple of nights. Mack and Addy are now out in the garden, taking first watch. 10k is counting Oxy out onto the large oak dining table for Doc, his rifle resting across his lap.

No.

He’s counting money. Real money. The copper and silver coins are carefully piled according to worth and size. You’re sipping coffee, watching his hands move slowly back and forth over the surface, accompanying the clink of change. You squint, trying not to laugh at him.  
“What ARE you doing?” you ask with a chuckle.  
“Counting my savings” he replies, not looking up at you, but glancing at you from his hunched over position. You nearly spit out your drink, but manage to hide it in your mug, burning your lips on the steaming liquid. Finally when you’re able to compose yourself again, you clear your throat.  
“You have savings?”  
He gets to his feet, but his rifle doesn’t fall from his knees, there is no rifle. There’s no need for weapons at all anymore. Moving around the table, he regards the money with a cautious look. Then his eyes meet yours, he smiles in a way that he’s only done since the bad times ended. It changes his face completely, lights a fire behind his eyes, and puts a gorgeous pink on his cheeks.  
“Yes I have savings” He mimics your tone of voice, “Which I was counting until you threw my number off”  
You look at the money on the table. There can’t be much there, it’s all change and no notes. At most there could have been a couple of hundred. It stings a little in your chest to imagine him squirreling away a bit every now and then, whenever he could manage to. He’s trying so hard.  
“What’re you saving for?”  
He gathers up the money from the piles he’s counted, sweeping it off of the wood into his palms and then sits down again, ready to start all over. He shakes his head, rubbing two of the coins together to make the unmistakable tinny noise of metal on metal.  
“Anything” he states. “For us, for our family, for us to be normal.”   
He counts out the pills carefully, looking up every now and again to observe what the others are doing. You put the mug of water down and put a hand to your forehead, almost pained by the difference between your daydream and the stark reality.

10k’s hand pulls yours away from your face and looks into your eyes.

“You okay?” he asks gently, searching your face. You nod in response and intertwine your fingers with his, pulling him as close to you as possible. He smells of paint and plastic, probably a result of the dodgy drugs he’s been handling.

“I just need a rest, some quiet time” you whisper. He nods and puts down his rifle, laying it gently on top of the counter behind you.

“Come on” Hey says, “Let’s find a room to ourselves.” He pulls you out of the kitchen and up the stairs, they creak with each step, threatening to break underneath your weight. Along the walls are photos of the family that used to live here before things went to shit. They all look so happy. It’s hard to believe that these faces are out there somewhere, grey and rotting, the bodies they’re attached to craving for flesh. You shiver, still not able to hold the cause and effect of the zombie apocalypse in your mind without wanting to throw up.

You turn the corner, and through an open doorway into an empty bedroom. It’s drab and brown, dirt and blood trodden into the shaggy carpet.

No.

It’s airy, an explosion of whites and blues. You look around with awe, at the velvet curtains hanging over the windows, blowing softly in the spring breeze. The bed is freshly made, crisp and decorated with little birds sat on tree branches. 10k lets go of your hand and moves across to spread his arms out, grinning ear to ear.  
“Tadah!” he exclaims, gesturing to the newly painted walls. “What do you think?”  
You’re almost lost for words. You can’t understand how he’s gotten this much done in the small space of time that you were away. It feels as though the animals in the prints are about to come alive and flutter around the room.  
“I love it” you breathe “What colour is this?” you trace your fingers over the wall, trying to soak it in, wanting it to be fresh in your memory for decades to come.  
“Well, the person at the store picked it out for me, and I wasn’t sure what it was going to look like, so I brought it home… painted the room and I think….. I still have no idea why it was called cotton elastic on the tin actually, I don’t know where I’m going with this.”  
You giggle and let him pull you into his chest, where he holds you tighter than ever before. It almost feels as though you’re going to explode.  
“Puppies and kittens!”

You sit upright in the bed. Warren’s voice echoes around the house. Before you’ve even woken up completely, 10k has jumped out of bed, slipped into his trousers and run out of the room. You collect yourself and get dressed. Noises outside draw you to the window. Zs are falling over the electric fence that appears to no longer be electrified, Warren and Garnett are piking as many as they can as they topple over. 10k is running out of the house and across the lawn to join them, rifle cocked, fists tight around it with anticipation.

No.

He’s running across the grass, water pistol in hand, he’s chasing a small child, probably only one or two years of age. He squirts water at them and takes a step back with laughter as the toddler wipes the water from his eyes.  
“Come on Tommy” he grins, “you going to let me get away with that?”  
Little Tommy curls his hands up into claws and makes a dinosaur noise, running towards his dad. You smile, face threatening to rip open with how happy the sight makes you. You can remember how shocked 10k had been when you’d told him what you’d wanted to call your baby. He’d looked at you, frown plastered across his face. His mouth dropped open a little and he asked you why without the word actually leaving his throat.  
“I’ll always know you as 10k” you’d told him. “Calling him Tommy is just like keeping a little bit of your dad alive? I guess?”  
You’d never seen 10k cry as much as that day. And you’d never seen him smile as much as right now. He picks up tommy, spinning him round and around before bundling him into the ground. They’re a wriggling mass of happiness and giggles. It’s your mess and you thank the heavens for it every day.  
10k is on the ground, holding a zombie a couple of inches above him. It’s snapping at his face, and he’s punching it, trying to get it away from him. Pain slashes through your chest, and you turn, sliding down the window and wall to sit on the floor. It hurts too much to dream of a future with 10k. It’s something you’re never going to get. You’re never going to be free, and you’re never going to see that smile.


End file.
